Bay Area/ San Jose
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Published on January 21, 2025
San Mateo County Enhances Mental Health Care in Jails Through Collaborative Reform EffortsSource: Google Street View

The San Mateo County Sheriff’s Office, in conjunction with Correctional Health's Correctional Services Division, has been working closely with two organizations, Disability Rights California (DRC) and the Prison Law Office (PLO), to upgrade the county’s treatment of incarcerated individuals with mental illnesses. The partnership, now in its second year, has focused on policy reform and revamping programs for inmates with mental health conditions, as per the San Mateo County Sheriff’s Office.

During the alliance's tenure, the DRC and PLO have together audited both the Maguire Correctional Facility and the Maple Street Correctional Center on three different occasions, each time meeting with staff and interviewing inmates to gain direct insight into their experiences, which led to the overhaul of 10 policies that have now reduced the use of segregation and disciplinary housing improved social opportunities, and prompted the introduction of new programs. This engagement has spurred multiple policy enhancements geared towards offering incarcerated persons more out-of-cell time and greater social interactions while also seeking to step down approaches from segregation.

The enthusiastic collaboration highlights San Mateo Sheriff Christina Corpus's proactive stance on mental health issues within her correctional facilities. This approach sprouted from her push for an expanded Behavioral Health Unit in early 2023. According to the San Mateo County Sheriff’s Office, this unit now delivers tailored treatments to approximately 50 inmates daily, ranging from therapeutic group activities to individual sessions and psychiatric clinics.